


Life's A Beach

by woshuwoo



Category: Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (TV 2016)
Genre: Day At The Beach, First Kiss, M/M, Star Gazing, dirk loves the sound of the waves, i dont like this very much but fuck it hgjfd, mostly background faranda
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-10
Updated: 2017-12-10
Packaged: 2019-02-12 19:58:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12967260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/woshuwoo/pseuds/woshuwoo
Summary: Dirk has limited experience with beaches. He also has limited experience with friends. He tries his best, though.





	Life's A Beach

**Author's Note:**

> ep 9 starts in less than five minutes what am i DOING

Dirk bounced in his seat as Farah pulled her car into an open space by the curb. He was giddy with excitement and ready to fall out of the car before it even parked. It had been years since Dirk had been to the beach, the universe always steering him in a different direction. Before that he'd only been twice, once when he didn't have a place to stay and slept on the sand for three days before someone noticed and once when a case had chased him onto (and then straight off of) a pier in California. Neither had given him the chance to really experience a full day of beach relaxation, but Dirk vividly remembered the sound of the waves in the dark and how calming it was.

Farah parks and Dirk is up and out of the car before anyone even has their seatbelt off. Amanda shoves her door open, stepping out and resting an arm on the roof, raising an eyebrow at Dirk as he yanks the boot of the car open to grab a bag full of towels and sunscreen (and a bucket, because there's a lot of things Dirk doesn't know about but sand castles are not one of them).

Todd appears at his side and sends Amanda a tentative smile. They're still a little iffy around each other and nothing is fixed perfectly, but after more than a few agonizing emotional conversations (not the Brotzman’s specialty) and more time, Amanda had gained some of her trust for him back. He was still her big brother, her hero for most of her life, and she did love him. She smirks back at him as Farah circles the car to join them.

Amanda reaches over to the bag in Dirk’s arms, pulling out the huge floppy hat on top and dropping it onto Farah’s head. Farah rolls her eyes affectionately as Amanda puts on her sunglasses and says, “Let's do this.”

Dirk beams and starts down the sidewalk to the entrance to the beach. Todd falls into step next to him as Farah and Amanda lag behind and Dirk takes the chance to immediately talk his ear off. 

“I haven't been to the beach in ages! I did have a case near one once, but that wasn't exactly fun. Do you like the beach, Todd? I never went when I was young, did you?” He asks more questions before Todd can answer and Todd rolls his eyes.

“I used to go to the beach with my family in the summer. Beaches are okay, I just don't like the sand.” Todd fiddles with the tie on his swim trunks as Dirk nods.

“The sand is wonderful! It makes castles!”

“It's gritty and gets everywhere.”

“A souvenir!”

Todd scoffed but it had no effect on Dirk’s mood. They'd crossed onto the beach by now and Dirk dropped the bag onto the ground and looked at it for a moment before Amanda stepped in and grabbed a blanket to set down and the umbrella. She and Farah had it set up in a minute and Amanda shimmied out of her cover up and settled down on the blanket. She looked, to put it plainly, fucking awesome in a black one piece and a pair of silver rimmed sunglasses, with her hair pulled back to show off the undercut. 

Farah followed her lead, stepping out of a skirt but leaving a half buttoned flannel with the sleeves rolled up over a purple bikini top. Full exposure wasn't exactly her thing.

Dirk looked ridiculous in bright yellow swim trunks and a thin white button up. Todd had questioned the outfit and gotten an entirely too long spiel about “keeping up appearances”. He struggled out of the shirt and immediately dumped about half a bottle of sunscreen onto his hands.

Amanda snorted and Dirk ruffled. “What! It's safety!” Amanda just laughed as Dirk struggled to apply the sunscreen, leaving him with patchy streaks of white on his skin.

He tossed the bottle to Todd, who tugged off his t-shirt and applied it with far more experience. Then he dropped it back on top of the bag for later.

“Alright then, come on!” Dirk said and bounded towards the water.

On the beach, Amanda peered over the rim of her sunglasses at Dirk and her brother, the former of which was currently splashing the latter, to almost no response- oh nope nevermind. Todd kicked back and sent a wave of water up to Dirk’s chest, making both of them laugh.

The day was hot but not sweltering and Amanda felt an almost foreign sense of contentment. It was different than with the rowdies, where she could smash things and use her power. The boys were her family, but so were her friends. Farah's presence next to her felt right. Dirk’s laughter and explosive existence around her felt right. She didn't get as tangled up in the holistic shit as Todd, but somehow it felt as if the universe wanted her to be here. On a beach with the two strangest people she'd ever met and her brother, an asshole, but still her brother.

She leaned against Farah and sighed. “I'm glad you're here,” She said quietly. “You're really important to me. And super cool. And totally the only reason those two are still alive.”

Farah snorted and tried not to acknowledge the heat in her cheeks. “Y-You’re important to me too.” Farah swallowed hard as Amanda rested her head on her shoulder. Damnit she was gay.

Down by the water, Dirk was having the time of his life. The sun was beating down on him as the cold waves lapped at his thighs, splashing even up to his hips. Todd was standing a bit closer to shore, digging his toes into the sand and steadily refusing to engage in swimming. He was already dripping with water from where Dirk had splashed at him.

“Come oooon, Todd!” Dirk whined and Todd smirked but kept his ground.

Dirk attempted to run over to him but the pull of the water tripped him up and sent him sprawling, Todd choked on his laughter as Dirk popped back up above the waves, hair plastered to his forehead and water dripping into his eyes. The brightness of his smile challenged the sun overhead. Todd stepped deeper into the water and held out a hand to pull Dirk up but as Dirk’s hand closed around his he felt himself get yanked down as he met the water with a crash. He spluttered and coughed as Dirk laughed and the sounds of Amanda’s amusement floated down the beach to him.

“You ass!” Todd swiped at the water in his eyes and shoved Dirk’s arm with his other hand. Dirk giggled and pushed himself away in the water, leaning back and letting himself float.

Todd found himself enraptured by the content look on Dirk’s face. He was smiling softly with his eyes closed, completely relaxed as the waves rocked him gently. Todd noticed that the sun had already raised a smattering of freckles across his nose and cheeks. The sight brought an unexpected feeling of warmth to Todd's chest and he swallowed hard. Twisting away from Dirk, Todd dunked his head under the water and let the cold of the ocean strip away the heat in his cheeks.

The day wound on, Dirk never straying too far from the shore, digging his hands under the sand and basking in the feeling of the beach. Amanda and Farah had joined him at the water a few times, Amanda diving under the waves and floating on her back while Farah let the waves lap over her legs as she watched her move with grace. By late afternoon Dirk was windswept and sunkissed, hair curled from the salt water and freckles present all along his face and shoulders. Amanda was in a similar state with her bangs pushed out of her eyes and a smile on her face. 

By the time they'd packed up their bag and ate at a diner Dirk had said was the only place they could go, it was six in the evening and they were exhausted. Farah had gotten them rooms at a motel, one for her and Amanda and the other for Dirk and Todd, and they pulled themselves into their rooms with smiles.

Barely an hour had passed before Dirk had regained all of his energy. He sat up from where he'd been sprawled across his bed and announced “I want to go back to the beach.”

He looked ridiculous, still in his swimming shorts and a significantly rumpled white button up. Todd rolled his eyes. “We were there all day, Dirk. Besides, it's almost dark. Amanda and Farah won't want to go.”

“Then it can be just us. Please?” Dirk gave him a pleading look.

“Dirk-” Todd started.

“I want to hear the ocean. And see the stars by the sea.”

Something Dirk’s voice made Todd realize he'd probably never had this before. Safety was a relative term in Dirk’s life, peace an even larger rarity. Todd was an asshole, but not enough of one that he'd refuse Dirk a simple joy.

“Fine.” He sighed, sitting up and slipping his feet into his shoes by the bed. Dirk beamed and bolted up, grabbing a towel draped over a chair and throwing open the door. Todd couldn't help his smile as he followed Dirk into the dusk.

It was almost dark by the time they'd walked to the beach and Dirk settled down on the towel in the sand, leaving space for Todd. He laid by Dirk’s side, closer than he expected, and watched the sky.

Stars popped up from the dark, constellations showing themselves while the waves lapped at the shore and created a relaxing song. Todd could feel Dirk breathing next to him, could sense his peace. When he glanced over at the other man, Dirk’s eyes were wide with amazement as the light of the moon reflected off them.

“The universe is infinite.” Dirk’s voice gave Todd a start in the silence. “It is forever changing. Growing. No one will ever know all of it. Not even me.” Dirk swallowed and let out a long breath. “I don't always understand why the universe does what it does to me. It has never been kind, but somehow it led me here. To you. And Farah and Amanda. To friends I never in my life thought I could have. I've dragged you through hell, but you're still here. You stayed. I just… I want to thank you for that, Todd. You have shown me something I had never known before.”

Todd swallowed hard and tried to make himself speak. The sound of the ocean roared in his ears as Dirk turned to him. He was so close to him that Todd could feel the heat radiating off his skin. 

The look in Dirk’s eyes pushed Todd forward. He closed the distance between them and pressed their lips together for just a moment. Dirk gasped and chased Todd's lips when he pulled away. Todd brought a hand to Dirk’s face and pressed closer, deepening the kiss and feeling Dirk breath in sharply against him. Dirk clutched at his hip and kissed him feverently, swiping his tongue against Todd's lips.

Todd groaned and opened his mouth, pressing as close as he could to Dirk until he was flush against him. He kissed Dirk until they were breathless before pulling back to look at him. Dirk’s eyes were shining and his cheeks were pink. He licked his lips and Todd's stomach flipped.

“That was…” Dirk whispered, voice hoarse.

“Nice.” Todd finished.

“Very.”

Todd smiled and leaned back against the sand, feeling Dirk relax at his side. His lips tingled and as Dirk reached down to grab his hand, closed his eyes and let the night wash over him.

Todd loved the beach.


End file.
